Now that the new year is here, have you set some goals or made some resolutions? They don’t need to be huge or complicated to give you a sense of direction and something to strive for in 2021. 

Perhaps you can use this year to do some projects around your home. Maybe you redecorate a room or two this year? Are you ready to try a few DIY projects? Or, maybe you can just set a goal to declutter?

If decluttering sounds good to you, you’re in luck! There are lots of practical suggestions that can help make this goal a reality – and here are a few to help!

• Set Some Goals: Have you ever started decluttering with the goal of getting your entire home done in one shot? How’d that work out? Were you discouraged because it took longer than you expected? You might even have called it quits after a bit – and never went back to it. It’s understandable. It can seem overwhelming.
  • The key is to set small goals. Perhaps it’s your bedroom closet today. Maybe it’s the bathroom vanity. When you declutter in small increments, it doesn’t seem nearly as daunting and will give a feeling of satisfaction that will encourage you to continue.  
• Create a Budget: You may think that decluttering strictly involves recycling or throwing away things you no longer want. And yes, that’s a huge part of it. But, you must also decide how you are going to organize what you’re keeping. Set a budget for things that you’ll need to organize (baskets, shelves, hangers, etc.) and stick to it. 
• Work in Short Spurts of Time: If you don’t have a huge chunk of time to give to your decluttering – that’s okay. Working in short spurts of time can be equally beneficial and, hopefully, save you from burnout on this project. Set a timer for 15 minutes and do what you can – and come back to it at another time if you’re not finished.
• Start With the High Clutter Areas: Everyone has areas of clutter that drive them crazy – usually because there is a lot of it. So, start there. When the high clutter areas are done, you will feel amazing – and ready to tackle the much easier areas of your apartment.
• Pick Up Everything: Yes, you need to pick up and touch everything. This will help you decide if it stays or if it goes. It may seem time-consuming, but it’s a huge help.
• Decide How You’re Going to Sort: And be sure you have a system for the things you’re sorting. Are you going with: sell, give away, recycle, upcycle, keep, throw away? Or, maybe it’s this simple: keep, give away, and throw away. Just be sure you have a system and know which pile is which.
• Then Get Rid of Your Clutter: Once you’re done – even if it’s just with a small area – get rid of your clutter. You want to organize the stuff you’re keeping immediately and have the rest go to the appropriate spots (such as a donation center or the trash).
• Getting Rid of Big Items? Sleep On It: If you’re trying to decide what to do with big items – sleep on it. You may wake the next day and find that “Yes, it’s time to get rid of that beat-up chair” and buy something new. But, there’s nothing wrong with giving yourself 24 hours to decide if you want to keep it or not.
• Organize What You’re Keeping: Finally, put all of the things you are keeping back in an organized manner – and move on to your next project.

Decluttering doesn’t have to be a weekend-long project. You can use these tips to break it up into small chunks and get it done in no time at all.